BARTLESVILLE BRUINS CROSS COUNTRY; MIDDLE SCHOOL GIRLS REMAIN UNBEATEN
The Bartlesville Middle School girls’ cross country team is unbeaten this season.
Courtesy photo
By Mike Tupa
Oct. 17, 2025
BARTLESVILLE AREA SPORTS REPORT
Bartlesville High School cross country runners are running out of time to make their mark this season.
All that remains on the horizon are next week’s Class 6A regionals (in Owasso) and the state meet (November 1, at Edmond Santa Fe).
Several Bartlesville runners eye an opportunity to finish strong and build momentum going into the offseason.
Next year’s prospects appear even brighter due to so many middle school flashes that will be joining the high school team.
That’s especially true on the girls’ side, where a handful of course conquerors from an unbeaten middle school program will be matriculating to ninth grade.
Following are more details from Tuesday’s Frontier Valley Conference Meet — the prelude to the regionals — hosted by Muskogee.
David Ayres oversees Bartlesville cross country as the head coach. His high school assistants include Brett Turowski and Sarah Jewett.
Turowski also serves as the middle school head coach and is assisted by Elizabeth Ostermaier and Jace Reid.
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VARSITY GIRLS (5K)
Three swift-footed Lady Bruins finished among the top 30 — Isabella Prentice (16th, 21:55), Eliza Miller (23rd, 22:36) and Afton Miller (27th, 22:45).
Prentice is a freshman speedster that has spearheaded Bartlesville’s charge this season.
“She’s very consistent,” Ayres said, recalling a former Lady Bruin standout. “She’s kind of got an Ashley Barnes’ glide to her. We’re not surprised Bella moved into the top spot.”
Rounding out the Lady Bruin squad were Katherine Manley (37th, 23:57), Emma Kuntz (40th, 24:13), Madilyn Malcom (44th, 24:52) and Alysse Dennis (48th, 25:50).
Bartlesville finished sixth overall, just 14 points behind fifth-place Sand Springs and 37 behind fourth-place Owasso.
A not-so secret weapon the Lady Bruins might have back in time for the regional is freshman Karli Serratos, who has been out with an injury, Ayres said. Serratos finished first for Bartlesville in two early-season races.
“She’s very mature for a freshman and works hard,” he said.
The Miller sisters, Eliza and Afton, have been among the team’s top five runners throughout the season. Eliza, a junior, has finished among the top three Lady Bruins in all seven events, including turning in the top time at the Chile Pepper Invitational (Ark.). Sophomore sibling Afton has been among the team’s top five in all seven races, including finishing second or third three times.
“They’re phenomenal,” Ayres said. “Eliza is having a really good year and Afton continues to piggy-back off her freshman year. She hopes to get to state after barely missing out last year.”
Malcom is another freshman that has run like a gritty veteran.
Manley is the lone senior on varsity and also only returning state qualifier.
“She’s being a great captain,” Ayres said. “Her goal is to lead those girls to state.”
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VARSITY BOYS (5K)
Preston Shoesmith surged to 16th place (17:22) to pace the Bruins, followed by Jackson Boudreaux (32nd, 18:14) and Talmage King (36th, 18:26).
The Bruins finished 8th as a team, 15 points behind seventh-place Sand Springs and 39 behind sixth-place Tulsa Union.
The balance of the Bruin squad included Grayson Ellis (41st, 18:45), Jim Dudley (42nd, 18:53), Armando Ponce (48th, 19:11) and Luke Bulleigh (50th, 19:23).
Shoesmith is the only returning state qualifier from last year. He’s still focused on breaking the 17-minute barrier after coming very close earlier this season.
“He’s been working hard,” Ayres said about Shoesmith, the team’s consistently fastest pacer. “He’s motivated and a great leader.”
Boudreaux has displayed much consistency and King “has improved quite a bit,” Ayres continued.
He also praised the dedication of Ellis, Dudley, Ponce and Bulleigh.
Bulleigh “has really pushed himself,” Ayres said, noting that during his career he’s gone from one of the team’s slowest runners to earning a varsity spot — and continues to get faster.
“Probably top to bottom this is one of the deepest teams we’ve had,” Ayres said about the boys’ varsity program. “I don’t think they’ve run to their greatest yet.”
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JUNIOR VARSITY GIRLS (5K)
Hailey Taylor sewed up eighth place (24:40) to lead Bartlesville.
Ciara Swisher (11th, 24:56) and Sahara Stamps (15th, 25:29) came in next.
The next eight Lady Bruin finishers included Keyli Alvarenga (23rd, 26:33), Rebekah Stephens (35th, 27:55), Kara Stose (39th, 28:44), Annie Murphy (40th, 28:48), Adrienne Ward (28:57), Naomi Vivian (29:43), Raine Jones (31:59) and Khloe Henry (32:53).
The squad came in fourth, just 14 points behind Bixby.
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JUNIOR VARSITY BOYS (5K)
The Bruins hustled to second place (63) to earn the title as the best of the rest following unbeatable Jenks (24 points).
Four Bruins crossed the line in the Top 15 — Peter King (6th, 18:57), Wesley Pierce (9th, 19:05), Michael Taylor (12th, 19:21) and Calen Bolitho (14th, 19:25).
Rounding out the team’s top 10 were Ben Lauritsen (24th, 19:56), Elijah Burchett (31st, 20:21), Oliver Humble (36th 20:34), Payson Winward (39th, 20:43), Anderson Malcom (41st, 20:50) and Kayden Swisher (44th, 21:04).
The next fastest 13th runners on the team were: Gage O’Brien (21:28), Carson Cole (21:54), Emerson Shawhan (22:05), Sam Roper (22:14), Blake Crow (22:15), Aiden Stokesthrasher (24:41), Stephen Lauritsen (24:53), Jonathan Gallery (24:55), Krystopher Stevenson (25:11), Jackson Miller (25:58), Oliver Bulleigh (25:59), Kaden Oliveira (28:06) and Michael Cleveland 33:04).
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JUNIOR HIGH GIRLS (2 miles)
As mentioned, Bartlesville blasted to first place by scoring 37 points, followed distantly by Bixby (60 points).
The seven top Lady Bruins finished in the top 20: Madisen Dennis (3rd, 13:05), Annika Dennis (4th, 13:10), Jillian Lindblom (6th, 13:26), Margaret King (10th, 13:32), Brylee Kipps (14th, 13:50), Melanie Glass (15th, 13:51) and Penny McNall (17th, 13:55).
The team’s next-fastest seven included: Mikah Hightower (32nd, 14:39), Madelyn Potter (35th, 14:51), Karshyn Faulkner (40th, 15:09), Amelya Stubbs (41st, 15:11), Margaret Negus (42nd, 15:13), Karis Riner (47th, 15:33) and Candace Broch (49th, 15:37).
The next Lady Bruin finishers were: Cora Miller (16:47), Kimberly Krammer (16:48), Sammy Kane (16:52), Emerson Lindblom (17:15), Harper Hindman (17:18), Paige Lindblom (17:18), Charleen Olson (17:36), Hayley Iwamoto (17:39), Harper Alley (18:01) and Desiree Walker (18:06).
Led by the Dennis sisters and Jillian Lindblom, this squad has been a true powerhouse.
King has also been a big part of the success, Ayres said.
“We’ve got a lot of great talent,” he continued. “The last time we went unbeaten for the middle school we won a state championship the next season,” Ayres said. “I hope we’re on that same trajectory.”
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JUNIOR HIGH BOYS (2 miles)
Leading the Bruins to fourth place was the hustling duo of Leo Winward (15th, 12:32) and Everett Ellis (16th, 12L36).
Rounding out the team’s top 10 were Bryce Bolitho (29th, 13:12), Jeremy Symes (32nd, 13:14), Manuel Jimenez (45th, 13:39), Jase Hammond (52nd, 13:48), Josephy Laudero (58th, 14:07), Carter Shea (64th, 14:19), Parker Teague (93rd, 15:36) and Luis Chihuahua (103rd, 16:22).
The next group of Bruin finishers featured: Fletcher Eidson (16:29), Cody Nelson (16:34), Parker Callahan (17:12), Augustus Murphy (17:27), Ryker Deherrera (17:41), Harrison Dossett (18:20), Spencer Bolitho (19:34), Solomon Bullock (19:38), Davis Parham (19:55) and Reid Campbell (20:430).
Rounding out the rest of the team were: Tristan Stamps (20:59), Roman Kirkpatrick (21:16), Mason Tate (22:27), Sanjan Alla (23:19), Zander Smith (24:17), Austin Lawrence (26:25) and Xavier Paschal (29:17).
Winward is just a sixth grader and Ellis “is rarin’ to go every race,” Ayres said.